Vehicle-brake.



, G. LONDRESS.

` VEHICLE BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED HOV. 14, 190L 898,904, Pamd sept. 15, 1908. Y* Y l Y 2 smmsfsnn'r 1. 1 A 51# vs w A7,;-

VEHICLE-BRAKE.Y

No. 898,904. Y

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented sept. 15, ieos.

Application led November 14, 1907. Seria1` No. 402,206.

i To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE LoNDnEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grafton, in the county of Taylor and State of lrVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Vehicle-Brakes, of which the following is a specification'.

' This invention relates to vehicle brakes, more particularly to the brakes adapted for operation in connection with childieiis carriages, and has for its object to produce a simply constructed and easily applied device, wliereby the brake is automatically.

set when the vehicle is stationary', and is released and held in released position by the pressure exertedl by the operator while propelling the vehicle.

In the propulsion of childrens carriages, many serious accidents occur by reason of the vehicle running away when left by itself, and the present invention is designed to automaticallyY set the brake apparatus and thus hold the vehicle from accidental movement in event of the attendant leaving the vehicle. y

Nith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereafter shown and described and specificallyV pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrating the embodiment of the inventionz-A-Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of the rear portion of a childs vehicle, including one of the rear wheels and the rear axle and a portion of the supporting frame, with the rake appliances in position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the arrangement of the parts when the brake devices are applied rearwardly of the wheels. Fig. 4 is a p. an view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. h

In the drawings are shown the rear axle portion 10 and rear wheels 11-12, together with their side bars 13--14 and the handle 15 of a conventional childs carriage, these Yparts being of the ordinary construction.

The improved attachment comprises a brake beam 16 having brake shoes 17-18, the beam being shown in Figs. 1 and 2 extending transveisely of the side bars 13-14 in advance 'of the wheels 11-12, while in Figs. 3 and 4 the beam is shown arranged transversely of the side bars at the rear of the wheels 11-12, to illustrate the fact that the improved device is applicable without material structural change either to the front or rearsidesvof the wheels. Attached to the axle 10, as by clips 19-20, or other suitable fastening means, are standards M -22, the standards hating levers 23-24 pivot ed as at 25.-26 at their u per ends, the forward ends of the levers in igs. 1 and 2 curving downwardly and connected at 27-28 to the brake beam 16, while in Figs. 3 and 4 the levers extend rearwardly, as at 29 in Fig. 3 and cou-V pled at 30-31 to the beam 16, the slight change in the form of lever being necessaryl to adapt the dew ice to the application of the brake shoes to the rear sides of the wheels, as hereafter explained. Connected between the brake beam 16 and the aile 1() are tension spi'ings C32-33, the springs o erating to maintain the brake shoes normal y in engage. 'ment with the wheel, and to thus maintain the vehicle normally in braked condition. In Figs. 1 and 2 the levers 23 are extended rearwardly above the handle bar 15 and conu iiected by a hollow member 34, adapted to bear over the handle bar when depressed, and

thus constituting a portion of the handle bar.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the lever is extended rearwardly with the member 34 disposed beneath the handle bar 15 and adapted to bear against its under side when elevated. In Figs. 3 and 4 the standards 21-2-2 are of slightly different form to those shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the slight difference in form being necessary to enable the brake ap aratus to be ap lied to the rear sides of the w eel, as will be o vious.

The operation of the device is substantially the same in both forms shown. YVhen the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 is emloyed. and when the vehicle is to be operated, the attendant compresses the member 34 upon the handle bar 15 and holds thesey two arts in contact while propelling the vehic e, thisrdisposition of the member 34 causing the forward downwardly curved ends of the levers 23-24 to be elevated, carrying the beam 16 and its shoes 17-18 upwardly free from the wheel and stretching the springs 32-33, and so long as the at: tendant retains the member 34 in contact with the member 15 the vehicle remains free from the influence of the brake, but the instant that the grip is released from the liandle bai' the reaction of the springs 32 in-v stantly sets the brake and holds the vehicle riuidly in position. The same o eration taches place when the construction s iown in iio j ffUNrTnD srarns Parana; OFFICE. l. fg;

Figs. 3 and 4 is employed except that instead of depressing the member 34 the attendant l elevates this member, with )recisely the same results as before describe( the brake in this instance being applied to thea-ear sides ofthe wheels instead of to the forward sides, as will be obvious. It mill thus be obvious that *the two structures are substantially the same. and operate to produce precisely the saine results in substantially the same inanner. y

While Ihaveshown the device applied to children "s carriages, it will be obvious that it may be applied under certain circumstances to other forms of vehicles, 'and I do not therefore desire to be limited in the sc o e of the Vinvention to its ap lication to ciildrens Wheels, standards'carried by said axle, levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said standards and pivoted at one end to said brake beai`n, and an auxiliary handle bai' connected to said levels at their other ends and extending contiguous to the handlebar of said supporting frame.

2. The combination with a vehicle ineluding an axle having bearing wheels and a suporting frame including a handle har. of a rake beam extending transversely i 'Jove said frame and movable upwardly therefrom, brake shoes carried by said beam and adapted to engage said wheels, springs connected at one end to said beam and at their other ends to said axle, standards spaced apart and s up orted by said axle, levels pivoted intermediate their ends to said standards and pivoted at one end to said brake beam, and an auxiliary handle bar connected to said levels at their other ends and extending contiguous to the handle bar of said supporting frame.

In testnnony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

Y GEORGE LoNDREss.

.Vv'itnessesz W. P. WITHERS, L. A. RILEY. 

